The present invention relates generally to support and enclosure structures, and particularly to such structures as are useful for the storage and support of safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and the like.
In recent years, there has been growing public concern with safety in all phases of activity, with the result that the federal government has created the Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to promulgate safety standards in industry and see to their enforcement. An outgrowth of this effort and corresponding public interest has been the proliferation and increased availability of various safety equipment for general consumption which was once manufactured and sold for industrial purposes. Thus, for example, an item such as a hand-held fire extinguisher of a size small enough to fit into the glove compartment of an automobile or a utility closet in a home, is now mass-produced and available to the general public in a large number of stores, including discount variety stores and supermarkets, at prices which make them economically attractive.
Though public acceptance of the hand-held fire extinguisher has been fairly wide, some concern exists regarding the appropriate location of the extinguisher in the home. The appearance of commercially available extinguishers is functional and not particularly attractive, and homeowners tend to store them in areas which are away from general visibility. Further, their size, shape and weight usually affect the choice of their location with the result that they are usually placed in a utility closet, cellar or outside passage and away from the areas where fires most likely occur and/or cause immediate danger and damage.
In view of the above, a need is believed to exist for the provision of a support and enclosure for a fire extinguisher which will prompt household consumers to purchase extinguishers and locate them in easily accessible areas nearby to possible fire hazards.